The most reliable Travel Trailer

[Eddiegnz1]

Based on your experience, which brand of travel trailer is among the most trouble free. I'm not looking for luxury, I don't want fancy counter tops nor amazingly beautiful cabinets...what I'm searching for, more than anything, is for all things to function properly for many years.

I've heard that many travel trailers are frequently needing something repaired or parts replaced. So I'm prepared to deal with some level of this...

But is there a brand that has a reputation for being one of (or the most) trouble free.

I'm just looking for brand names of 17 to 30 foot travel trailers, based on one that you've owned.

Thank you!
Eddie

[gmw_photos]

If a newbie is reading this thread and jumps to the conclusion that Airstream is some super high quality trailer that has no problems, I would suggest going over to the dedicated forum ( airforums ) and do a search for and some reading on quality issues, then make up your own mind.

As to comparing the number of hours A/S vs Jayco building trailers, that does not tell us much. Ford spits out a F150 about every 50 seconds. Does that mean it's junk ? Not hardly. What it tells us is they have developed production procedures that are efficient. Jayco builds a lot more trailers each year than A/S, so they need a more efficient production line.

I have no dog in that fight.... I don't own a jayco nor an airstream.

[jmtandem]

ALL...I say again...ALL...RV manufactures follow the same practices and none of which I would say include the term "quality".

I strongly stand by my first response.

Again, had you read all the six pages you would have understood more about what this thread really is about.

As to all RV manufactures follow the same practices, that is simply not true. Since Airstream has been mentioned many times in this thread they spend nearly 400 hours building one trailer coach, while a few years ago there was a video of a Jayco trailer being built in less than an hour. The care, quality, attention to detail, even the materials in construction are often different. Sometimes vastly! But, we can agree to disagree, that is fine.

[myredracer]

Most reliable? There may not be a "most reliable" TT brand but any Northwood TT, Lance and a few others mentioned above would be above average. Jayco has had a good reputation for years but were bought out by Thor. There is a youtube video of a Jayco production line and after seeing it, I def. wouldn't buy one. If we were to buy again, Outdoors RV would be at top of my shortlist.

I'd avoid any TT with a Lippert frame. Not easy since Lippert has something like 95 percent of the market or more. Get one that has a BAL Ultraframe like Jayco and a small handful of others. Or get an in-house, heavy duty, off-road, certified frame like Arctic Fox, Nash & Outdoors RV (all Northwood products).

People talk about leaks and rot. Besides water leaking from the outside in, RVs are simply built wrong. They have an impervious exterior layer (metal or fiberglass) and there is no vapor retarder/barrier on the interior side of a wall "assembly". Insulation is either fiberglass batts or open cell insulation. Same for a roof assembly. If windows are not opened when camping in cold weather and/or a dehumdifier isn't used, moisture in the air will migrate to the cold exterior surfaces and condense and lead to eventual rot. Aluminum framing would be a better choice in this regard. Closed cell insulation like spray foam in a house along with a vapor barrier on the inside (and also sealing of penetrations & holes) would help a lot.

Also, the "quality" of a dealer can easily turn the best of TTs into a nightmare so it would help to find out what you can about a dealer if at all possible.

After going through 3 new TTs in just 3 years, I've become a hardened and cynical TT owner. The question of reliability and quality could take many pages to delve into.

[Downwindtracke1]

I don't think that's quite true, some are worse.

[RinconVTR]

jmtandem wrote:

I am not reading 6 pages on this topic.

All I know is the majority of RV's, when used consistently year after year, are NOT what I would label "reliable". There is significant maintenance and general upkeep that need be done on every RV out there and something happen that are simply out of our control. RV components are generally never made to high quality standards.

Perhaps you should have read all six pages. It is very interesting reading and would have allowed you to address the OP's original question.

Excuse me? I did read the OP's original post and the first 2 pages.

There is no BEST RV manufacture. They are all the same.

As a Grand Design owner, regarded as one of the best, I will tell you they have some of the best designers...but they are NOT the best manufacturer. I find all the same common issues I have had in ALL my previous RV's over many decades.

ALL...I say again...ALL...RV manufactures follow the same practices and none of which I would say include the term "quality".

I strongly stand by my first response.

[jmtandem]

I am not reading 6 pages on this topic.

All I know is the majority of RV's, when used consistently year after year, are NOT what I would label "reliable". There is significant maintenance and general upkeep that need be done on every RV out there and something happen that are simply out of our control. RV components are generally never made to high quality standards.

Perhaps you should have read all six pages. It is very interesting reading and would have allowed you to address the OP's original question.

[jmtandem]

I guess I did stretch the point a bit.

However I have found that most people trade TTs not because they were unreliable but because they wanted a different floor plan.

I know my comments and remarks would have been different, perhaps vastly so, if the OP asked about floor plans and cost. And maybe many others that also commented. You are correct, most people purchase on floor plan and cost but that apparently was not what the OP was looking for in answers.

[RinconVTR]

I am not reading 6 pages on this topic.

All I know is the majority of RV's, when used consistently year after year, are NOT what I would label "reliable". There is significant maintenance and general upkeep that need be done on every RV out there and something happen that are simply out of our control. RV components are generally never made to high quality standards.

[rbpru]

jmtandem

I guess I did stretch the point a bit.

However I have found that most people trade TTs not because they were unreliable but because they wanted a different floor plan.

[Downwindtracke1]

My thoughts on purchasing a RV have evolved. I have the ability, skills, tools and experience to fix them much better than new. That's pretty easy.

-First I wanted an Airstream, I know RVs both leak and rot. The ones we found would be a project and the wife said we should travel not work on a trailer. She was right.

-She wanted a walk around bed. I pointed out they would be in the 22' class with a slide. I wanted light weight with aluminum framing. Remember rot.

-At a show she found a ORV Creekside 20FQ. It had a walk around bed. What I liked was the heavy duty frame under it. It was also wood framed in those days.

- I thought what the heck, wood framing should last 10 or 15 years. I'm dead wrong about that. I dented the nose on the first camping trip by jackknifing. I found heavy mold when I repaired it, 2 years in. And it wasn't from the dent.

-For hunting I gave up using a wall tent and it's wood stove for a 18 year old used camper. Of course it had leaks and rot, but for a RV it had been very well made, they had even used a Proflex like sealant in places. Those places did not leak

-When I look on my camper and our trailer, I smile, I know neither is going to leak and rot with all that Proflex sealant used.

- Bigfoots and Airstreams leak. When I was looking for a used camper, a Bigfoot roof vent had leaked and interior had rotted. The same thing happen Airstreams , with added joy of all those rivets loosing . I have a tinny.

[jmtandem]

So in answer to the original question, buy the TT with the floor plan you like, at a price you can easily afford.

The original question is what is the most reliable travel trailer? Unless I missed something the OP never mentioned or included price or floor plan in his question.

[rbpru]

When searching for a TT for retirement after years of tent and canoe camping, we looked at Airstreams.

The DW did not like the floor plan and the shape. At that point they could have sold for half the price of any other TT and it still would be sitting there.

In the end and after a very long search and a TT rental, we bought a little used three year old model. You guessed it, it had the right floor plan and overall size.

For most folks RVing is a hobby, it can be a rather expensive hobby but it is still a hobby. Its impact on the family budget should reflect that.

Also, like many hobbies, folks migrate to certain aspects such as boondocking, full service parks with pools, State or National Parks etc. and adapt their TTs accordingly.

So in answer to the original question, buy the TT with the floor plan you like, at a price you can easily afford.

[Hannibal]

Lol! Airstream snobbery has arrived! If an Airstream leaks, which they can and do, their particle board floor turns to mush like any of them. Carry on...

[Bobbo]

Jayco is cheaper. And I mean that in every sense of the word.

[Eddiegnz1]

I see Jayco here mentioned in the same paragraph with Airstream. Is It because Jayco has a reputation of being well built, reliable and relatively less troublesome?...in other words, is it implied that Jayco is comparable to and a close competitor to Airstream (as it relates to quality of frame, leak-proof, etc) or is Jayco being mentioned in contrast to Airstream as a low quality TT.